Strollers for Walking in the City
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Stroller for Urban Walker
Feb 2006
I am looking for recommendations for a stroller for an urban mom who expects to do a lot of walking around the neighborhood. I want something that's fashionable, has a quiet ride and has a big, accessible shopping basket. The stroller doesn't have to be super light, but I'd like one that's suitable for birth to at least 40 pounds. I like the idea of a reversible handle, although I'd love to know whether other parents find this to be a useful accessory. I am not willing to spend more than $400. Is it unreasonable to expect to find one stroller that meets all of these needs? We have a small house, and I'd prefer not to have multiple strollers. Would love to hear some first-hand experiences from seasoned moms (or dads)!
I really like the Moutain Buggy Urban stroller. It is from New Zealand and has just recently been available for sale in the US. I live in a community with many Australians and New Zealanders and the Mountain Buggy is definitely the preferred stroller. In the States you can purchase it on the web, but I think Rockridge Kids also carries it. It is extremely well-built and can handle the most challenging sidewalks and hills. It also works well in malls and grocery stores. You can easily take it off- road too. The stroller can be used from birth, but for convenience I added the infant carseat adaptor and now the stroller essentially works as a Travel System. The seat doesn't adjust from forward to rear facing, but with the carseat in place, my baby is facing me. By the time she outgrows the carseat, the forward facing seat will work just fine as she will be exploring the world. The cargo area is quite big and can fit a good amount of groceries. The stoller folds very easily, but my only complaint about the stroller is that it is very big and bulky when folded and I've had some challenges fitting it in cars and taxis. The wheels come off very quickly, so this has been my solution for really tight spaces. When my daughter reaches six months or so I'll rely more on our super light weight MacClaren Volo stroller for car trips, so I know this will cease to be an issue. The Mountain Buggy falls within your price range. I think it is an excellent alternative (and in some ways preferrable) to the Bugaboo Frog. Check out www.joggingstroller.com or www.mountainbuggyusa.com for more information. I've been very happy with both of these vendors. The www.joggingstroller.com website has excellent product information and reviews.
Check out the Mountain Buggy Urban Stroller from New Zealand. I think Rockridge Kids carries it. Two great websites are: www.joggingstroller.com (great product information and detailed reviews) and www.mountainbuggyusa.com - the US distributor.
Dear Urban Walker,
There are many types of strollers that fit the bill that you described. One important thing is first deciding how important reversibility is to you. Usually stroller that are reversible tend to be a bit heavier, however since you stated that doesn't matter too much to you you might want that feature. I find my little one often is happier longer in the stroller when he can see me and interact with me. Another thing to realize is that reversible seat and reversible handle usually do the same thing.
The 2006 Zooper Boogie (http://tinyurl.com/n4cbe) is a swivel three wheeler with a reversible seat that has a generous basket and nice air tires for a smooth ride. It is a bit of a big fold but not too heavy at 26lbs. Zoopers are nice too because they come with plenty of extras.
Another good stroller is the Rock Star Baby (http://tinyurl.com/rz8oj) which looks similar to the bugaboo with two back air tires and two front swivel wheels. It has a reversible seat as well and a mediocre shopping basket but is nice to push and lighter at 24lbs. It also comes with a bassinet and car seat adaptor which can be nice.
Lastly you can check out the 2006 Bumbleride Flyer (http://tinyurl.com/rgezl) which has a reversible handle. It doesn't have air tires but the wheels are bigger than most strollers which makes for a smoother ride and it has a nice sized basket. It also has gorgeous fabrics and colors. Again it is not too heavy but definitely not a lightweight stroller.
As a mom and a business owner, I know that finding a stroller that works for you can make your whole like easier so feel free to come check them out if you are interested in seeing them in real life. Best, Jo
I would highly recommend the Bumbleride Flyer. I too do a lot of walking with my baby, and this stroller is a miracle on wheels. The suspension is fabulous (baby sleeps even over huge bumps/ uneven surfaces). The reversible handle is perfect for when baby gets bored or frightened or just wants interaction with his or her parent (bound to happen on long excursions). The new Bumbleride Flyers have several color combos that are very stylish. The under-basket is not huge, however. I think it is supposed to hold only 10 lbs -? We push it significantly over that without a problem though. Just a hands-down great stroller. Happy Bumblerider
With baby one I bought two stollers (the travel system and the jogging stroller). With baby two, I bought one stroller -- the Mountain Buggy Urban Double. It is also available in a single version. I love this stroller. I can use it at the mall, in airports, and most importantly onlong walks in my neighborhood. It takes curbs and other rough terrain quite well. I've been using since baby two was a newborn. My very tall three year old still fits into it quite well (my seven year old niece was a stretch, but it was fun for her). It is light, has a small footprint, has a great foot brake and under carriage storage. There are several companies that are making similar 'offroad/mall' type strollers these days (Bob Revolution -- I own the Bob SUS which I also love and wish that they had it in the Revolution available when I purchased it, Baby Jogger, Valco, etc.). I would suggest going to www.joggingstroller.com. You can compare the features of up to five strollers at a time. jan
This was a while ago, but we lived in London when our daughter was born and didn't have a car, which meant miles of walking on a near-daily basis. We bought a second-hand Bugaboo Bee, largely because we lived in a small apartment and didn't have a place to store any of the larger models. It was ridiculously expensive, but we used it almost daily for years and it held up really well. There are shock absorbers for each wheel, which is probably part of the reason she was able to nap in it almost every day, sometimes for hours at a time. If your current stroller has a similar suspension system, though, it probably won't be much better.
The Bugaboo stroller was made for the rough cobblestone streets, dirt/gravel and icy conditions in Europe. It's what most people buy in the big cities there.
I think the biggest issue with Nuna Mixx and UppaBaby is that the wheels are foam filled. I think you will need something that has air-filled tires and good suspension.
Maybe a Bob stroller would work well for you. They have big wheels, and some beefy shock absorbers. I think they are meant for jogging with a stroller.
Yes, we have used our BOB for six years (2 kids) and it’s still going strong. We commute and grocery shop with it. I’ve used it on trails around the Bay Area, but prefer it for around town use.
My husband and I bought the Thule Urban Glide 2 and while we haven’t used it on long Trela, so far it’s been great on our local streets while going to the playground and we are pretty confident with taking it to Tilden to hike.
My City Mini GT stroller can handle all the bumps of the sidewalks and tree roots with no problem. The key is the air-filled rubber tires. Any stroller that has these type of tires should be fine. Strollers with thin wheels cannot handle the bumps.
I recommend the Thule urban glide stroller. It has a lot of the same bells and whistles of the BOB strollers which are super popular (shocks, adjustable handlebar, quick folding, super comfy harness etc) but it’s not quite as wide and weighs less. For infants there is a universal car seat adapter that works well to turn it into a travel system before little ones are big enough to ride inside.
Sarah
https://www.thule.com/en-us/us/strollers/strollers/thule-urban-glide-2-_-10101923
Get a BOB jogging stroller. They have incredible suspension, so handle uneven terrain easily. They are meant to keep a baby sleeping when running at 6 or 8 or 10 mph, so at walking speeds they are incredibly smooth.
They are less than $600, but they are not cheap. I bought a very lightly used one for $200, and it served me well for 4 years, then lasted another 4 with a friend who took it as a hand-me-down. Unqualified positive recommendation!!
Check out the Citi Mini GT. I’ve found it to hold up to those bumpy sidewalks : )
You need a BOB Revolution. I sold my city mini and got a BOB after miserable sidewalk stroller walks with too many cracked sidewalks and slopes. Pushing it is like butter.
I’ve never used that stroller but it looks like it has rubber / plastic wheels which won’t absorb bumps. Try something with air tires that will absorb the bumps better. We had a City Mini GT with the “all terrain” wheels and thought it was good enough for berkeley sidewalks. A true jogging stroller with air tires would be better, but you have to keep them inflated.